Full Moon and crimes

I love the sight of a full moon , poets love them and so are the criminals......... yes it is believed that the crime rate is high on a full moon , although there is no solid proof regarding it.

Even the scientists cannot give a correlation between the crime rates on a full moon lit night , babies conceived or born during that time or any other such occurences.

It is just a myth and nothing else . It is believed that we usually notice increase in such activities during a full moon night as we remember a full moon phase more than other moon phases.

If a crime is committed on a full moon night people remember it more as it is obvious than when the moon was a crescent.
crimes, births, and strange occurrences happen all month long, but only those that occur around Full Moon cause people to talk about them.
For everyone who love to watch a full moon would like to mention that 30th January,2009 will be a full moon lit night and it will be the biggest full moon of 2010.

Make a wish for a Martian pic

The above pic is one of the possible future landing site on Mars.

Now, you can suggest photos of Mars to be taken by NASA spacecraft orbiting Mars.
High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment ( HiRISE) has recorded 13,000 images of Martian surface. Inspite of thousands of pictures of Mars being taken it is believed that only 1% of the surface of Mars is being photographed.
A web tool called HiWish allows you to suggest a location on Mars where HiRISE instrument should take an image. You can go through the site to browse the Red planet and find out a location which can be photographed.

With the help of this tool you can place a rectangle on Mars where you would like the pics to be taken , you will have to explain a possible benefit of photographing that particular area.HiRISE is trying to find a possible landing site . You can track your suggestion and will be notified when your suggestion is taken.
For students and other people who are involved in exploring Martian surface, its a perfect opportunity.
Its time for making a HiWish .......

Does Mars has trees ?

Martian trees ........ no there is no such any evidence of trees in Mars . The scientists say that it is just an optical illusion .They are the naturally erupting dust clouds on Mars

The so called Martian Trees are actually dark basaltic sand pushed to the surface of sand dunes by sun-heated solid carbon dioxide ice, sublimating directly into vapor.

The image, taken by MRO's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera.

Annular Solar Eclipse on 15th January

For everyone who loves to watch a solar eclipse.Here is a good news.On 15th January 2009 there will be annular solar eclipse , Moon will directly pass between Sun and Earth . Since, Moon is small it is unable to cover the Sun which leaves a ring of sunlight visible at maximum.
Viewers will see this annular eclipse along a narrow path that begins in central Africa and then goes across the Indian Ocean, through southern India, Sri Lanka, Burma, and, ultimately, China. Viewers in much of Africa, eastern Europe, and Asia will witness a partial eclipse.
The last annular solar eclipse occurred a year ago on January, 2009 and the next will most probably occur on May 20, 2012.
If you wanna watch the solar eclipse then use approved solar filters.

What is Harvest Moon?

I was surfing net when i stumbled upon a term "Harvest Moon" which i would like to share with you all in my this post.

Harvest moon is defined as the full moon closest to autumnal equinox . It is not an annual phenomenon but occurs once every four years and it occurred on 3rd October, 2009. It is usually brighter or colorful than other moons which is due to seasonal tilting of the year.

The Harvest moon is also known as the Wine Moon, the Singing Moon and the Elk Moon.

Enjoy the above beautiful pic of Harvest Moon taken on 3rd October, 2009.

Search continues for Mars Polar Lander

Mars Polar Lander is one of the two exploration vehicles of NASA Mars Surveyor' 98 Program launched on 3rd January 1999.

It all happened 10 years ago in December 1999 the Mars Polar Lander before entering the atmosphere of Mars became missing.
The search for the remains of MPL began using Mars Global Surveyor and now HIRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is continuing the search.
It is believed that the spacecraft’s computer misinterpreted the release of the lander’s legs in preparation for decent on the surface of Mars which might have caused the engines to shut down.
The search still continues…….

Cassini-Huygens team wishing happy new year

New year wish from Cassini-Huygens team . They offer their views on Saturn and spacecraft Cassini.

You can find the spacecraft Cassini at the top right side of the image .

Airborne telescope

Airborne telescope will unlock secrets of the cosmos
A NASA jumbo jet that will help scientists unlock the origins of the universe with infrared observations reached a milestone December 18 when doors covering the plane's telescope were fully opened in flight.

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, a modified 747 jet known as SOFIA, flew for one hour and 19 minutes, which included 2 minutes with the telescope's doors fully opened. The goal was to allow engineers to understand how air flows in and around the telescope. It was the first time outside air has interacted with the part of the plane that carries the 98-inch (249-centimeter) infrared telescope.

Santa wishing from Lunar North Pole

Two days to go for Christmas . Santa Claus wishing Christmas from Lunar North Pole. Oops....... it is just an imagination!!!!! Have a Great Christmas .

Glint of sunlight confirms liquid in Titan

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn, along with Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune, is classified as a gas giant. Together, these four planets are sometimes referred to as the Jovian, meaning "Jupiter-like", planets.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has captured the first flash of sunlight reflected off a lake on Saturn's moon Titan, confirming the presence of liquid on the part of the moon dotted with many large, lake-shaped basins.

This is a guest post by Murali dharan , who is a blogger.